Method of producing high-explosive compounds.



unrrnn s'ra'ras PATENT onFroE.

PLUMER WHEELER, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. I. DU FONT DE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20; 1908.

Application filed August 10, 1906. Serial No. 329,958.

'To all whoratt may concern:

Be it known that I, PLUMER YVI-IEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chester, county of Delaware, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Producing High-Explosive Compounds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

In recent years there have been proposed quite a large number of explosive compositions consiting largely of ammonium nitrate with combustible matters of diiferent'kinds,"

such as, resinous compounds, oils, organic nitrocompounds, or mixtures of these compounds, etc. An example of such composition is a mixture of ammonium nitrate, dinitronaphthalene and trinitrotoluene. One great draw-back in the use of these explosives has been the fact that they are apt to be of uncertain sensitiveness, sometimes failing to explode with even a very strong detonator. of sensitiveness of these explosives. The method, as ordinarily carried on, to produce these explosive compositions is to mixathe ammonium nitrate with the combustible matters at a temperature only sufficient to liquefy such resinous compounds, oils, or organic nitro compounds. I have discovered that if a temperature of mixingbe used in excess of that necessary to liquefy these combustible matters, but not high enough to liquefy the ammonium nitrate, thesensitiveness of the explosives progressively increases the higher the temperature and the best results are obtained as the temperature appr aches the melting point of the ammonium itrate.

I have obtained substantially good results at as low a temperature as 230 degrees Fahrenheit and below that the result is not appreciable over the low temperature of mixing.

. In carrying out my process, I melt the carbonaceous material, such as the fatty substances or organic nitro compounds, or mixtures of the same, as, for example, dinitronaphthalene and trinitrotoluene and add them in fluid condition to the ammonium nitrate, which has been previously heated. I then mix the whole compositlon thoroughly and during such mixing maintain the temperature above that necessary-to maintain the fatty substances or organic nitro compounds in a liquid condition. Prefer- I have discovered the reason for lack ably I maintain this temperature as close to the melting point of ammonium nitrate as is safe, and in any event it should be above 230 degrees Fahrenheit. In practice, I have used a temperature of about 280 degrees to 290 degrees Fahrenheit with good results. I have, as stated before, obtained better results than in the previous method with a {Zemperature as low as 230 degrees Fahrenieit.

An explosive of this character, produced in accordance with'my process, will detonate with a much smaller detonator and with more certainty than is the case with such explosives made in the manner that existed prior to my discovery.

As an example of my process, I melt 7 parts of dinitronaphthalene with 5 parts of trinitrotoluene and add these in a fluid conmonium nitrate.

2. The process of producing a high explosive of the character described, which consists in mixing ammonium nitrate with an organic nitro compound at a temperature between two hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit-and the melting point of the ammonium nitrate.

3. The process of producing a high explosive of the character described, which con' sists in mixing ammonium nitrate with an organi'c'nitro compound at a temperature between two hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit and two hundred and ninety de grees Fahrenheit.

4. The process of producing a high explosive of the character described, which consists in adding an organic nitro compound, solid at ordinary temperature, in a fluid condition to ammonium nitrate and mixing the same together at a temperature between two hundred and thirty degrees Fahrenheit and solid at ordinary temperature, in a fluid conthe melting point of the ammonium nitrate. dition to ammonium nitrate and mixing the 5 5. The process of producing a high exsame together ata temperature between two plo'sive ofthe character described, which conhundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit and 5 sists in adding an organic nitro compound, two hundred and ninety degrees Fahrenheit. solid at ordinary temperature in a fluid con- In testimony of which invention, 1 have dition toammonium nitrate and mixing the hereunto set my hand, at Chester, Pa, on 20 samg together at tenperatubrekpetuieen twg this eighth day of August,1906. hun re and eig ty egrees a ren eit an 1 10 the melting point of the ammonium nitrate. PLUMER W 6. The process of producing a high ex- Witnesses: plosive of the character described, Which'con- HAMILTON BRADSHAW, sists in adding an organic nitro compound, HOWARD M. PAULL. 

